Jump to content

Harris Savides

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Harris Savides
Savides in 2008
Born(1957-09-28)September 28, 1957
New York City, New York, U.S.
DiedOctober 9, 2012(2012-10-09) (aged 55)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Alma materSchool of Visual Arts
Years active1980–2012

Harris Savides ASC (/səˈviːdɪs/; Greek: Χάρης Σαββίδης; September 28, 1957 – October 9, 2012)[1] was an American cinematographer.

He was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography for the Ridley Scott crime thriller American Gangster (2007).

Early life

[edit]

Savides was born in New York City, to parents of Greek Cypriot origin, Eleni, a clerical worker, and Savas Savides, a short-order cook.[1][2]

He graduated with a degree in photography and film from the School of Visual Arts.[3][4]

Career

[edit]

Savides started as a key grip in the documentary Fist of Fear, Touch of Death from the 1980.

On TV, Savides served as a cinematographer on a TV short film entitled The Investigator (1994) directed by Matthew Tabak and a TV movie Lake Consequence (1993) directed by Rafael Eisenman.[5]

His first solo job as a cinematographer was on the thriller Heaven's Prisoners (1996).[3]

Savides was a frequent colaborator of Gus Van Sant, working in six of his films.

After working in the opening title sequence of Seven[6], Savides worked two more times with David Fincher, in The Game and Zodiac, which the letter was shot mostly with digital cameras.

Savides worked on a short film directed by Wong Kar Wai for BMW's "The Hire" film series, entitled The Follow[7]. Savides also worked Martin Scorsese's short film The Key to Reserva, as a homage to Alfred Hitchcock.[8]

With director John Hillcoat, Savides worked in a series of Levi's commercials for their "To Work" advertising campaign.[9]

Savides also worked on two films directed by Sofia Coppola, with The Bling Ring being his final project before his death.

Music videos

[edit]

Savides was the cinematographer on a number of well-known music videos directed by Mark Romanek including Michael Jackson's Scream, Madonna's Rain and Bedtime Story, Fiona Apple's Criminal, and Nine Inch Nails' Closer.

He has also served as cinematographer on the music videos for The Rolling Stones' "Like A Rolling Stone", Chris Isaak's Blue Spanish Sky, and R.E.M.'s Everybody Hurts.

Savides is the only person to date that has won three MTV Video Music Awards for Best Cinematography in a Music Video (for Madonna's "Rain", Fiona Apple's "Criminal" and R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts") and the only person to win two in a row (for "Rain" by Madonna and "Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M.)[4]

Style

[edit]

Savides was known for the very delicate images that he created for The Yards and Birth. In both instances he underexposed the filmstock by several stops in order to break up the colors and give the blacks a purplish and brownish tint. This non-conventional approach leads to a look that resembles the paintings of Georges de La Tour and Caravaggio.[10]

For the visual style of Somewhere, Sofia Coppola discussed Bruce Weber's Hollywood portraits and Helmut Newton's of models at the Chateau Marmont, and Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975), the film by Chantal Akerman about the routine of a Belgian housewife, with Savides. Savides said, "The main thing was to tell the story really simply and let it play out in long beats and have the audience discover the moment."[11] Coppola used the lenses that her father had filmed Rumble Fish (1983) with in an effort to give the film a more period look, although it is set in the present.[12]

Personal life and death

[edit]

Savides lived in Manhattan with his wife Medine, and daughter Sophie.

He died from brain cancer, at age 55.[1]

Filmography

[edit]

TV movies

Year Title Director
1993 Lake Consequence Rafael Eisenman
1994 The Investigator Matthew Tabak

Feature film

Year Title Director
1996 Heaven's Prisoners Phil Joanou
1997 The Game David Fincher
1998 Illuminata John Turturro
2000 The Yards James Gray
Finding Forrester Gus Van Sant
2002 Gerry
2003 Elephant
2004 Birth Jonathan Glazer
2005 Last Days Gus Van Sant
2007 Zodiac David Fincher
Margot at the Wedding Noah Baumbach
American Gangster Ridley Scott
2008 Milk Gus Van Sant
2009 Whatever Works Woody Allen
2010 Greenberg Noah Baumbach
Somewhere Sofia Coppola
2011 Restless Gus Van Sant
2013 The Bling Ring[a] Sofia Coppola
  1. ^ Shared credit with Christopher Blauvelt (Posthumous release)

Short film

Year Title Director Notes
2001 The Follow Wong Kar-wai Segment of The Hire
2007 The Key to Reserva Martin Scorsese

Music video

Year Title Artist Director
1990 Something New Grand Daddy I.U. Barry Michael Cooper
1991 Blue Spanish Sky Chris Isaak Bruce Weber
1993 Everybody Hurts R.E.M. Jake Scott
Rain Madonna Mark Romanek
1994 Closer Nine Inch Nails
Take a Bow Madonna Michael Haussman
1995 Violet Hole Mark Seliger
Fred Woodward
Bedtime Story Madonna Mark Romanek
Human Nature Jean-Baptiste Mondino
Scream Michael Jackson
Janet Jackson 		Mark Romanek
Like a Rolling Stone The Rolling Stones Michel Gondry
1996 Little Trouble Girl Sonic Youth Mark Romanek
Twenty Foreplay Janet Jackson Keir McFarlane
Let It Flow Toni Braxton Herb Ritts
1997 Criminal Fiona Apple Mark Romanek
1998 Weird Hanson Gus Van Sant
If You Can't Say No Lenny Kravitz Mark Romanek
1999 I Try Macy Gray
2001 From a Lover to a Friend Paul McCartney Kate Miller
I Might Be Wrong Radiohead Sophie Muller
2002 Die Another Day Madonna Mats Lindberg
Pontus Löwenhielm
Ole Sanders
2005 Speed of Sound Coldplay Mark Romanek
Someday (I Will Understand) Britney Spears Michael Haussman
2007 Desecration Smile Red Hot Chili Peppers Gus Van Sant
2011 Otis Jay-Z
Kanye West 		Spike Jonze

Awards and nominations

[edit]

BAFTA Awards

Year Category Title Result Ref.
2007 Best Cinematography American Gangster Nominated [13]

Independent Spirit Awards

Year Category Title Result Ref.
2002 Best Cinematography Gerry Nominated [14]
2004 Elephant Nominated [15]
2005 Last Days Nominated [16]
2008 Milk Nominated [17]
2010 Greenberg Nominated [18]
2012 Special Distinction Award Won [19]

New York Film Critics Circle

Year Category Title Result Ref.
2002 Best Cinematography Gerry Won [20]
2003 Elephant Won

International Cinephile Society

Year Category Title Result Ref.
2004 Best Cinematography Elephant Won [21]
Birth Nominated

National Society of Film Critics

Year Category Title Result
2004 Best Cinematography Elephant Nominated
2010 Somewhere Nominated

Other awards

Year Association Category Title Result Ref.
2003 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Cinematography Elephant Nominated
2007 Satellite Award Best Cinematography Zodiac Nominated
Clio Award Beverages / Alcohol The Key to Reserva Won [22]
2008 Houston Film Critics Society Best Cinematography Milk Nominated
St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Best Cinematography Nominated
2011 Camerimage Camerimage Cinematographer-Director Duo Award Won

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Weber, Bruce Harris Savides, Visual Poet, Dies at 55 New York Times, October 12, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  2. ^ Joanna Varikos, Cinematographer Harris Savides, 55, Passes Away, http://hollywood.greekreporter.com/2012/10/11/cinematographer-harris-savides-55-passes-away/
  3. ^ a b Jay A. Hernandez, 'Zodiac,' 'Milk' and 'American Gangster' Cinematographer Harris Savides Has Died at Age 55, http://www.indiewire.com/article/zodiac-milk-and-american-gangster-cinematographer-harris-savides-dies
  4. ^ a b "Harris Savides - Biography". IMDb. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  5. ^ "Harris Savides | Cinematographer, Camera and Electrical Department, Actor". IMDb. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  6. ^ The Essentials: The Works of Harris Savides, http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/the-essentials-our-favorite-work-by-cinematographer-harris-savides-20121011
  7. ^ The Follow (2001) - IMDb, retrieved December 21, 2023
  8. ^ The Key to Reserva, Official Film Page, http://www.scorsesefilmfreixenet.com/video_eng.htm
  9. ^ "The Essentials:The Works Of Harris Savides | The Playlist". blogs.indiewire.com. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012.
  10. ^ Chiaroscuro – From Caravaggio to Harris Savides, http://cdn.halcyonrealms.com/film/chiaroscuro-from-carravagio-to-harris-savides/
  11. ^ Lim, Dennis It’s What She Knows: The Luxe Life New York Times, December 10, 2010. Retrieved January 10, 2011.
  12. ^ Linda Barnard (January 8, 2011). "Interview: Sofia Coppola". Toronto Star. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
  13. ^ "Film in 2008". awards.bafta.org. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  14. ^ ""Far From Heaven" Sweeps 2003 Independent Spirit Awards". IndieWire. March 22, 2003. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  15. ^ "American Beauties". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  16. ^ "'Whale' of a day at Spirits". Variety. November 29, 2005. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  17. ^ "2009 Spirit Award nominations list". Variety. December 2, 2008. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  18. ^ "Winners Announced For 2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards". CBS News. February 26, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  19. ^ "'Silver Linings,' 'Moonrise Kingdom' Lead Spirit Award Nominations". IndieWire. November 27, 2012. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  20. ^ "Far From Heaven tops New York critics awards". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  21. ^ "Harris Savides - Awards". IMDb. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  22. ^ "Martin Scorsese Brings "Lost" Hitchcock Film to Screen in Short Faux Documentary". Open Culture. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
[edit]


Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harris_Savides&oldid=1297664894"